Last Updated on November 19, 2022 by Barbara Trapp
The holiday break is a great time to do a little organizing for a less-cluttered 2023! These five organizing projects won’t take much time but will help you make the most of family visits and give you a jump start on spring cleaning.
Organize a Game Zone
Visits to my parent’s home included at least one game night. I fondly remember playing Trivial Pursuit, a game designed to ask questions about general knowledge and popular culture, with my brother and parents. My father and brother (scientific thinkers) were on one team and my mother and I (creative thinkers) were the other. The guys thought they had that game in the bag, but the smug grin on my brother’s face disappeared when I pulled the “Fe” card and yelled out “IRON!!!” He’d forgotten about that little science award I won in high school. My mother and I won the game. Ah, memories…
Board games are a popular, low-tech option for fun. And it’s not just plain old Monopoly anymore. There are many versions of that including Monopoly for Millenials, a Fortnight Edition, and one with a National Parks theme. Check out Relative Insanity by Jeff Foxworthy, Chickapig, Watch Yo’ Mouth, Labyrinth, Scrabble, and The 13 Best Family Games of 2022 for a Variety of Ages. I admit I’m partial to a game of Exploding Kittens on Thanksgiving.
So gather your favorite games and designate a storage spot near where you would actually play them. A convenient, central location means they will get played more. Less technology = more social engagement!
Cull and Share Your Photos
No, I’m not asking you to organize all your photos into perfect collections…yet. The meticulous album creation or boxing by date or theme can come later. But how about a quick sort to pull out duplicates and other unwanted photos to share with family? Imagine spreading out all of these photos on a table at a family get-together and letting everyone take what they want. Imagine tossing the rest. Now imagine a less overwhelming photo project in your future. You may actually be inspired to tackle that sooner rather than later!
Let Your Family Shop in Your Home
Are you an empty nester getting ready to downsize and reorganize? Just as with your photos, the holidays can be a great time to shed the excess in your home.
As far back as age nine, I remember having a fixation on a floor lamp at my grandparent’s home. It had a marble base and a twisted iron pole. Every time my family visited, I unashamedly reminded my grandparents to save that lamp for me. I think that request came out something more like… “When you die, can I have that lamp?” Ugh! Fortunately, they took that request with good humor and it was a bit of a joke in the family. But twenty years later when my grandparent’s house was put up for sale, everyone remembered to save the lamp for me.
How about you? Are you ready to get rid of your china? What about old vinyl records or a dresser? Put a colored sticker on all the things you want to let go of NOW and ask your grown children to take any of those items with them or to make arrangements to have them removed. What if there are things they would like that you aren’t ready to let go of yet? Ask them to put a sticker with their name on the bottom of anything else they may want. When you are ready to let go of items, you’ll know who wants what. It’s easier to let go of items if you know the person receiving them. That’s great to know for estate planning purposes!
Do a Mid-Year Clean-out with School-Age Children
The holiday break is a great time to reset for the rest of the school year. Whew! It’s great to have a break! Before your children head back to school, plan time for the following:
- Empty out, clean, and restock backpacks.
- Purge graded homework papers.
- Gather library books for return.
- Sign any permission slips.
- Do a room clean-up including closets and under the bed.
Another part of your home will be ready for visitors and your children will have an organized, fresh start for the next semester!
Give Your Grown Children Their Stuff
Whether it has been five or twenty years, their stuff is theirs to deal with. Gather it all together and when they come to visit, put on some fun music, serve up hot chocolate or spiced cider and lovingly lead your children to their piles of stuff. Not seeing them anytime soon? Consider sending some “care packages” with their favorite treats and an assortment of their memories. Think old school papers vs. heavy yearbooks. Your spring cleaning project and/or yard sale will be a little more manageable.
Tackle these small organizing projects and enjoy the holiday break!
Need help getting organized and building good habits for a productive life? Call me at 904-500-SORT (7678) or schedule your free consultation here. I’d love to help you simplify and Zen Your Den® (and your life).
Barbara Trapp, CPO®, Certified Professional Organizer® and Productivity Coach
Zen Your Den®
Professional Member, NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals)
Residential Organizing Specialist, NAPO
Workplace Productivity Specialist, NAPO